(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is a method for testing the toxicity of a substance using the phylum Nematoda. Specifically, the invention is a test whereby substances can be easily, rapidly, and inexpensively analyzed for their ability to cause mutations, to promote tumors, to act as teratogens, and to affect embryogenesis, post-embryogenesis, metabolic function, and neuromuscular function.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Higher animals, such as mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats, pigs, and monkeys, are usually used as test animals in conducting toxicity tests of substances. When chronic toxicity tests are done, breeding must be carried out under carefully controlled conditions over a long period of 2 to 21/2 years. Thus, performing such toxicity tests is very time consuming and expensive. Moreover, it is practically impossible to study genetic effects, such as mutagenicity of substances, because the length of time and high cost required are prohibitive.
In order to study mutagenicity of a substance, the bacterial mutation test using Escherichia coli, salmonella, or other bacteria, is often used. These bacteria, however, are prokaryotic organisms whose mechanism of gene expression is quite simple. They are quite different from multicellular organisms that possess higher levels of biological organization, such as embryogenesis. Accordingly, the bacterial mutation test is unsatifactory to detect substances that affect higher levels of biological organization.
In the chemical industry, novel chemical substances are continually being synthesized to meet various industrial and health requirements. Additionally, much research is being done to find new applications for known chemical substances. In each case, it is desirable to establish a rapid and inexpensive method for testing toxicity of these substances.